Johanna
by Cassie Bones
Summary: AU where Kate Beckett has a daughter from a drunken one night stand in Las Vegas on her way home from Stanford. All she knows of the father is that he has bright blue eyes, which her daughter has inherited. 11 years later, Ryan points out the similarities between Joey Beckett and Castle, sending everything into chaos. Set in season 2.
1. Chapter 1

**Based on a prompt from thealways47stuff on Tumblr. I'm gonna go a little against it and set this in Season 2. The prompt is at the bottom of this story.**

 **Johanna**

"Jojo," Kate calls as she rushes around the kitchen, making coffee and toast, "come on, babe; time to get ready for school!"

Her eleven-year-old daughter appears from her bedroom, dressed but still rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her hair, which rival's her own mother's curls, is unbrushed and mussed, bangs falling into her face. "There's no school today, Mom," she says, as her mouth opens in a wide yawn.

"What?" Kate says, turning to her with a frown. "It's Monday, isn't it?"

Johanna Isabella Beckett nods. "Yeah, but it's also Faculty Development Day," she informs her mother and Kate curses under her breath. Damn public school. "I heard that," Joey says, smirking. "You owe me a dollar." That smirk is as infuriating as the twinkle in her baby blue eyes.

"I swear you have your grandmother's bionic ears," she mutters as she hands the girl a glass of orange juice and a plate of slightly charred toast.

Joey wrinkles her nose at it. "I'd rather wait for Castle's breakfast," she says to her mother.

Kate is almost offended until she looks at the blackness that covers half of her own toast. "Can't really blame you," she sighs. "But drink your OJ, alright? No use in wasting it." The young girl nods and sips at the cup while Kate pours her first coffee of the day. She didn't make a lot, knowing that her unofficial "partner" would show up with her usual Starbucks order and a bear claw in tow. She takes out her phone and texts him so he knows to bring Jo's usual order, as well.

Kate wonders how it is that her daughter had bonded so fiercely with the incorrigible man-child so quickly after they met, even going so far as to try and convince Kate to accept his numerous date proposals. She hasn't yet given in though. But she knows that Johanna is not likely to stop anytime soon.

Though the young girl _did_ take Kate's side last summer after Castle decided to look into her mother's murder against her wishes. But the second he came back, she was all about forgiveness and became his best friend again like nothing had even happened. In fact, if it weren't for Joey, Kate and Castle might never have reconciled.

He texts back a smiley face and she can't help but reflect it.

"What are you smiling at?" Jo asks and Kate looks up to meet the big blue eyes, always so inquisitive and intelligent. They make her think of the girl's father, who is still a blur in Kate's memory.

It was during a layover in Las Vegas that she met the man at the airport bar. She shouldn't have been drinking, but long flights made her antsy and the bartender barely even glanced at her fake ID, anyway. She figured a drink would relax her for the remainder of her flight to New York. She had two hours until it left, anyway.

He was the only other patron, downing shots of whiskey like his life depended on it. He sat on the other side of that bar, his shoulders slumped and his shaggy hair obscuring most of his face, but not that frown. She'd moved down the bar to sit next to him, struck up a drunken conversation that somehow led to the creation of the little girl sitting right in front of her, sipping from a Coca Cola glass full of juice.

The only thing she remembers of that drunken night is the floppy hair and the man's light blue eyes, which Johanna Isabella had apparently inherited from him. Everything else—except for those adorable dimples—came from Kate's side of the family.

"Finished!" Joey's voice snaps Kate out of her daze and she smiles brightly at the girl who'd brought her out of the rabbit hole that was her mother's case one too many times. Jo was the reason that Kate's father, had quit drinking and why Kate's decision to join the NYPD was solidified. Even if she couldn't solve her mother's case, she wanted to make the streets safer for her baby girl.

"Okay," Kate says, standing. "Go brush your hair and then we can go."

Joey groans. "Can't you just put it in a braid?" she asks. "Please?" She gives Kate those big puppy dog eyes, which are completely unnecessary this time, but usually work in getting the older woman to do the younger's bidding.

"Fine," Kate says, finishing her coffee. "Go get the stuff and brush your hair through. It'll take less time if it's neat."

The girl nods and rushes off, leaving her empty glass and Kate rolls her eyes, picking it up. As she washes the cups, she thinks about the Las Vegas man who fathered her child; the man who gave her the gift of the truest love she's ever experienced. Sometimes, she wants to track him down, to find him and thank him for what he's given her; even to share that love of a child with him, because he's her father and totally deserves to know what it feels like to share that bond. But she knows it's been too long. He might not accept Joey and…and Joey might not accept somebody who's been absent from her life for the last eleven years.

Besides, Kate thinks as Joey pads back in with the brush, bobby pins, and a ponytail holder, they're doing just fine without him.

"Jojo!" Castle exclaims as Kate and her young daughter walk into the precinct.

"Castle!" she squeals as she runs full force towards him, as fast as her legs will take her. Castle catches her midair and lifts her, effortlessly, above his head. She giggles and Kate can't suppress the smile that spreads over her lips as he brings the girl down to rest on his hip and smiles over at her.

"Good morning, Detective Beckett," he greets, nodding to her as he picks up the cup he'd already set on her desk. "One Grande skim latte with two pumps of sugar-free vanilla," he says, handing it to her.

"Thanks," she says, taking the cup from him and sipping at it with reverence. He really makes the best lattes.

"And, for the little Beckett," he says, smiling down at Joey as he reaches for the other cup, "hot chocolate with peppermint and cinnamon." It's another trait she and Castle share; the inexplicable taste for the two spices combined. Kate usually wrinkles her nose at it, but it makes Joey happy, so she makes sure to always keep them on hand.

"Thanks, Castle!" Joey exclaims, taking a sip and practically purring. Kate chuckles and rolls her eyes.

"And there's a bag of bear claws with your name on it," he tells them as he places Johanna in his chair and gets to helping her with her hat and scarf. Kate plucks up the brown paper bag on her desk—which literally reads, 'Beckett,'—and reaches inside for a chocolate glazed bear claw, handing it to Joey once she's out of her jacket. The child takes it with a wide smile and bites into it. Kate smiles at the chocolate mustache she sports as she bites into her own plain, sugar-coated donut.

Castle gives Joey the same smile as he walks into the break room, his eyes sparkling with affection for the young girl. It's the same look he gets when he looks at Alexis—who's another pretty big fan of Joey—and it softens Kate's heart for him just the tiniest bit. Joey catches her look and gives Kate a knowing smile as she takes another large bite from her donut. The detective sticks her tongue out and the girl giggles.

"Mini Beckett is here!" a voice says and the two Becketts turn in the direction of Esposito's voice as he steps out of the elevator with his partner. Joey immediately jumps out of her seat and leaves her breakfast on the table in favor of running towards her other two favorite guys in the world.

"Uncle Espo!" she cries. "Uncle Ryan!" The former catches her and the latter presses a kiss to her cheek.

"Good morning, princess," Ryan says.

"Good morning," she chirps in return, showing her dimples as she smiles brightly at them. Espo tucks her under his arm like a football and carries the giggly girl to his desk, where he perches her on the edge and she laughs again. "My hot chocolate," she says, pointing at Kate's desk. Ryan plucks her breakfast up and takes a bite out of her bear claw as he hands her back her cup. "Hey!"

Ryan laughs and gives her the donut before making his way into the break room, where Castle already has three hot cups of coffee freshly made. He hands one to Ryan by way of greeting and the shorter man thanks him, taking a sip. As he does, his eyes study Castle's face, his head tilting slightly as he swallows.

"You know," he says, "if I didn't know any better, I'd say that Joey is _your_ daughter; not Beckett's."

Castle snorts. "How do you figure that?" he asks.

"Well, the dimples, for one thing," Ryan says. "Beckett doesn't have dimples."

"Maybe her parents have them," Castle says, shrugging, "or Joey's father." He still gets bitter just thinking about the man that refuses to be in their lives. Kate never told him anything about the douche that got her pregnant, but he's certain that there must be something seriously wrong with him if he doesn't want anything to do with a great kid like Joey.

"Your eyes, too," he says. "They're the same shade as Jojo's and Beckett _definitely_ doesn't have blue eyes."

"Again, that could come from her actual father," Castle replies, shaking his head. "What are you getting at with this?"

"Nothing." Ryan shrugs. "She just looks a lot like you is all; it's kind of funny."

With that, the Irishman leaves, sipping on his coffee. Castle frowns at that and tries to put the ridiculous thought out of his mind as he grabs his and Espo's coffee and heads out of the break room. The Hispanic detective thanks him as he places the coffee on his desk and he makes a face at Joey, who makes one back at him. He laughs, but can't help but notice that she looks remarkably like Alexis when she was that young. Even her nose is…

Castle shakes his head. It's impossible, though. He's only just met Beckett in March of this past year. Besides that, she's about a decade younger than him and he hasn't been with anybody that young since…

"Have you ever been to Las Vegas?" he asks, suddenly, as he sits down in his chair at her desk, sips his coffee casually as he waits for her answer.

Kate's green eyes widen at the question and that little wrinkle of confusion appears between her eyebrows. "Once," she says, "why?"

"When was that?" he asks. "And did you do anything scandalous?" He wiggles his eyebrows playfully as he whispers the question to her, mindful of the young ears about ten feet away.

Kate rolls her eyes but can't suppress her smirk. "Well," she says, "you know what they say about Vegas, don't you, Castle?" He laughs and nods.

"I have a few stories of my own," he reveals.

"I bet you do," she snorts, wryly, into her cup. He makes a face and she laughs; the sound is like music to his ears. He's always loved her laugh.

"Seriously, though," he says. "There was this one time, at the airport…I was, uh, I was going to pick up Alexis in Los Angeles, from her mother's and, uh, I met this woman. Nice, young, drunk as all hell." He laughs and Kate rolls her eyes.

"Do I want to hear this?" she asks, the clear indication that she doesn't in her voice, but Castle needs to know. So he nods.

"There's a point to this," he tells her. "Trust me."

Kate spares a glance over at Esposito's desk, where Joey is being entertained by her partners, giggling and showing off those adorable dimples of her. She turns back to Castle and nods for him to continue.

"She told me that she was waiting for a layover," Castle goes on. "So was I. I had just written Hell Hate No Fury, too and that bombed, so I was a bit…depressed. I decided to go to the bar and drink it all away—or try to, at least—and—"

"Oh my god," Kate interrupts, suddenly, her face turning beet red. "Oh god, no."

Castle's eyes widen at that and realization dawns over his own face as his mouth gapes and he points at her.

"You!" they hiss in unison.

 **This will be no more than a three-shot, but I would like to hear your thoughts on it so far. Is it worth continuing? Let me know!**

 **Prompt: Kate Beckett has a daughter which was conceived during a layover in Las Vegas on her way back home from Stanford. Kate was drunk at the time and only remembers the man's blue eyes. Ryan mentions one day how much her daughter looks like Castle and throws everything into chaos. The prompt was for Season Six, but I changed it to Season Two because I like the angst of it a lot better.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I am completely psyched about the reaction I've gotten from this story and I'm so glad that y'all wanna read more and that you would want me to go beyond a three-shot but I feel I should remind you about all my other stories and how 1. I really need to finish them and 2. How I seem to lose steam after a certain amount of time. I don't that to happen here so by keeping it short, I'm keeping this story good. Maybe there will be one- or two-shots in this same universe but, for right now, a three-shot is all I can give you of this. Thank you, though, for reading and encouraging me.**

Chapter Two

They stare at each other, bewildered by this new information, hazel-green locked on sky blue.

 _This cannot be happening,_ Kate thinks to herself. _He can't be the man she…in a freaking airport bathroom, no less! The father of her child…_

Who is now looking over his shoulder at the little girl, whose giggles reverberate throughout the entire homicide division, bringing smiles to nearly every cop's face. Especially Karpowski, who has a noted soft spot for "Beckett Junior" as she calls her. Castle's heart swells with love for this little girl, and it has almost nothing to do with the knowledge that she may be his.

Practically since the day Castle learned that she had a daughter—it was after the nanny case last year, when Kate opened up about hiring somebody to watch over her infant daughter while she was attending NYU, before her father got sober—he'd bee enraptured by this little thing with big blue eyes and her mother's smile (and, apparently, _his_ dimples). She'd shown him a picture of her daughter and he practically melted and the goofy face she was making at the camera; eyes crossed and cheeks filled with air like a pufferfish.

The first day he actually met her was when Beckett was going to accompany him to that gala for their case and needed a sitter. Both Martha and Alexis had immediately volunteered to watch over the girl, who was smaller than he'd imagine a Beckett child to be, given how tall her mother was.

"I didn't have my growth spurt until I was nearly fifteen," she'd once told Castle. "Becketts are late bloomers."

That little tidbit had only served to increase his affection for both mother and daughter and he knew they already held a place in his heart. He knew, from the day he met Kate Beckett, that there was something between them. Something…extraordinary. He'd told her that on more than one occasion and, as it turns out, he was right. There _is_ something between them.

She's about four and a half feet tall, with long brown hair, eyes the color of the sky, a button nose, and a smile that could light the world, with dimples like craters in her face. She's one of the most beautiful little girls in the world…and she's his.

"We'll need a blood test," Kate murmurs, bringing him back from his thoughts, "to be completely certain. Then we can…figure out everything else from there."

"Everything else?" Castle asks. "Like…custody?"

Kate nods. "If you're really her father," she says with a sigh. "You'll want custody, right? At least partial?"

Castle nods. "Definitely," he says, smiling over at Joey, who's acting like a monkey with her two "uncles". "God, she's so much like Alexis was at her age; how did I not realize?"

"It wasn't just you, Castle," Kate sighs. "I knew the eyes looked familiar and those dimples…I should have seen it sooner. Hell, I knew who you were the night we…made her."

"You did?" Castle asks, turning back to her.

"Sort of," Kate replies. "My mom was a pretty big fan of your books, always trying to get me to start reading them. I knew _of_ you, but I was too drunk that night to really comprehend…." She shakes her head. "This is so messed up."

"Hey," Castle says, putting his hand on her knee. Kate's eyes widen at the motion and she can swear that his cheeks turn pink, but he soldiers on. "Neither of us are at fault for this, alright? Or both of us, I dunno. Point is, it happened and now we have a chance to fix it. I can be a part of my daughter's life and you've finally found the ruggedly handsome father of your child." He wiggles his eyebrows at her and Kate rolls her eyes, pushing his hand off of her knee. In retaliation, he reaches for her hand and grips it firmly, looking her straight in the eyes. "Seriously, though, Kate," he says, "everything's going to be fine. I promise."

She wants to believe him. Wants to believe that he's not going to go back to his playboy ways, forget about the 11-year-old daughter that he barely knows, and break both of their hearts. But it's too soon for any of that. Before they talk custody or daddyhood or promises, they need to be sure.

She lets go of his hand without saying anything and picks up her phone, keeping a careful eye on Jo to make sure she's not paying attention to her mother. "Lanie," she greets, when the other woman picks up the phone, "do you still have Johanna's DNA on file? I think I may have found her father."

Years ago, during the kidnapping case she worked with the FBI, Kate had the lab take Joey's DNA samples, just in case of an emergency. DNA had played a big part in getting the victim's killer in that case, but they'd matched it too late and she wasn't about to have that happen to her baby girl. So Lanie had kept a vial stored for her, just in case, and Kate had hoped she's never have to use it.

But things didn't really work out that way.

"You found your girl's father?" Lanie asks the second Kate enters the morgue.

Kate shrugs. "Maybe," she answers, "but we can't really be completely sure without a test."

"So who is it?" Lanie asks. "Not one of our suspects, I hope?"

"No," Kate laughs, "but I _have_ arrested him before."

Lanie gives her a look of confusion and Castle takes his cue to walk in from the hallway, grinning sheepishly. Lanie's brown eyes widen comically and her mouth gapes open as she looks between them. "No way!" she squeaks. "You and Castle?! Girl, why didn't you ever tell me?!"

"Honestly," Kate replies, "I had no idea."

"You had no idea that Castle was Mr. McCarran International?" Lanie asks, disbelievingly.

"Is that what you call me?" Castle asks them, smirking.

"Actually," Lanie says, "you were more like Blue Eyes, Big—"

"Lanie!" Kate hisses. Castle is practically beaming.

"What? Is Jojo here or something?" She looks all around as if the preteen is about to jump out from some hiding place.

"No," Kate sighs, "she's upstairs with the boys, but could you please just shush!" Her face is bright pink now and Castle looks like the cat that ate the canary. Lanie cackles and Kate glares. "Just take his blood so we can find out if he's really the father."

"Did you sleep with anybody else that night?" Lanie asks, motioning for Castle to pull up his sleeve as she starts gathering up materials. "I mean, I know you said you only had two hours, but—"

"Only one guy," Kate sighs, "but Castle…it could just be a coincidence that his story matches mine."

"Beckett," Castle says, "we were at the same airport, at the same time, at the same bar. You said Jo's father had sky blue eyes and _I_ have sky blue eyes."

"And he had floppy brown hair," Lanie adds, tugging on Castle's arm. He allows her to tie the tourniquet around his arm and flexes his fist as she looks for a vein.

"I could have used a haircut back then, actually," he admits, running his free hand through his hair. "But what are the chances that it's not me?" he asks Kate.

"Nothing is ever a hundred percent," Kate replies. "And I'm not about to get my daughter's hopes up for nothing."

"It won't be for nothing," Castle says, "because I'm definitely her—ouch!"

He pouts at Lanie as she sticks the butterfly needle in and she rolls her eyes. "Hold still," she says and Kate swears she can practically see tears glistening in the man's eyes. She rolls her and grabs his opposite hand, surprising both him and the ME.

Kate rolls her eyes again. "Maybe you _are_ Jo's father," she says, "because this is exactly what I have to do every time she gets her blood drawn." He frowns at her, but doesn't let go of her hand. Instead he squeezes it and she feels an inexplicable warmth spread throughout her body. They lock eyes and hold that gaze for a long moment.

"Done," Lanie says, interrupting. Kate lets go of Castle's hand as the ME encourages him to press a cotton ball to the little needle prick. "I should have your results in a few hours. In the meantime, maybe you two should, uh, catch up." She winks at Kate, who glares fiercely back at her and Castle snorts next to them, winking back at Lanie.

Kate rolls her eyes and stomps out of the morgue, with Castle right behind her.

"Where'd you guys go?" Joey asks as soon as they return. She's spinning around in Kate's chair and the older woman stops her, chuckling down at the dizzy look in her eyes.

"We had to talk to Lanie about something," she says, not exactly lying. "But we're back and, sadly, I have to do paperwork right now. Joey groans and Kate shoots a glance at Castle, who smirks back. Her doubts are running low by the second. "But why don't you and Castle…I dunno, go do something 'fun'?"

"Really?" Johanna asks excitedly. "Like what?" she says to Castle.

Castle shrugs. "Whatever you want," he says. "Within reason. I'm rich, but your mother would kill me if I took you skydiving."

"I'm afraid of heights anyway," Jo informs him.

"What a coincidence," he says, sharing a look with Kate over the girl's head, "so am I."

She glares at him—they'd agreed not to say anything about his possible paternity until they had all their facts—and then smiles down at her daughter, stroking her hair. "Why don't you start with a movie, huh? I hear Airplane is playing down at the Angelika…"

Both Castle and Johanna gasp in excitement and then share a look. "We're going to see that, right?" she asks him.

"Just try and stop us," he replies and helps her into her coat and scarf, pulling her hat down over her eyes and making her giggle. Kate watches them with a soft smile on her face and shakes her head.

"Have fun, babe," she says. "Give me a kiss."

Castle leans in and Kate presses his face away from her as she tugs her daughter into her body. The girl giggles as she showers her face with kisses, then lets go, also shoving Castle away.

"Be good," she says.

"I will be," Joey replies.

"I was talking to him," Kate says, giving Castle a warning glance. He puts his hands up in surrender and then takes Joey by the shoulders, steering her towards the elevator. Kate watches them go and sighs deeply as she looks down at her cell phone.

The results can't come fast enough.

 **Thank you all for reading and enjoying this! It means so much to me, considering my recent slump. A lot of my other stories will be updated as soon as I finish my work today (I have to write 14,000 words, god help me) and can get the motivation and inspiration (because that's also p important.) Please REVIEW!**

 **Also, seeing as how this is kind of moving a little slower than I thought it would, it might actually have a fourth and fifth chapter. So…a five-shot? I think that can just be called a short fic, though…**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

She likes garlic on her popcorn. She's nervous about asking him if that's alright, but he's already in the midst of grabbing it from the seasonings side table. He didn't even think of it as odd until she mentioned it, but now he remembers how his mother always wrinkled her nose every time they saw a Sunday afternoon flick together. He remembers thinking that he must have gotten it from his father because Martha practically gagged every time his hand reached out for it.

He smiles down at her and shakes the little garlic powder tube, then sprinkles probably too much on the bucket of popcorn he'd sprung for. Joey beams at him and Castle laughs. She probably thinks he's doing this just for her, but she has no idea. He adds the usual salt and some butter to the popcorn and watches as she practically salivates over it, then grabs her hand and they make their way into the auditorium.

Throughout the movie, he can't help but watch her. Beckett had told him and Alexis, one more than one occasion when they were asked to babysit the girl, how much she loves old Leslie Nielson comedies, like _Forbidden Planet_ and _Dracula: Dead and Loving it_. It's something that she and her daughter share, which was, initially, a surprise to Castle. Since having met her, Beckett always seemed like the no-nonsense type. She looked like the kind of woman who enjoyed foreign films and could understand them without subtitles. The kind that liked action and drama films, even some romance from time to time, but comedy had not been his first choice of film favorite for her.

She just continues to surprise him.

 _Especially today_ , he thinks, looking down at the girl he is about 99% positive is his own flesh and blood. How either of them could have any doubt in their minds about this (Beckett so doesn't believe in coincidences) is beyond him now that he sees her practically wolfing down the treat and sipping from the comically large soda he bought her ("don't tell your mother or she'll shoot me") without removing her gaze from the screen. He does the exact same thing every time he's at the theater, too. There's no getting him out of that kind of trance without something else to distract him.

Like her. His—maybe—little girl. Whether or not she actually is his daughter really shouldn't matter to him because he already loves her like his own, even though he's only known her for about a year. And, unlike Big Beckett, Johanna seems to love him just as much.

Still, he wonders what her reaction will be when she finds out that he's her father (if, he corrects himself half-heartedly); will she accept it, be ecstatic and embrace him? Will she start calling him 'Dad' right away? Or will she be angry at him for not being a part of her life sooner? Will she blame him for his absence in her life? As logical a Beckett as Joey can be—especially considering who her mother is—her anger can sometimes be just as big an influence— _especially considering who her mother is._

He doesn't want to lose that smile or the excited squeals or moments like these, where she's laughing hysterically at something Leslie just said on screen, her eyes lighting up as those dimples pop in her cheeks. He doesn't want to lose her hugs or the way she giggles when he pokes her playfully in the side, or that light in her eyes whenever he tells her a joke or whispers some sarcastic comment behind her mother's back. He doesn't want to be without that adorable wrinkled nose when she smells something disgusting or sees a gross picture on the murder board (which Kate has long since stopped trying to hide from her) or without the amused smirk when Castle and Beckett argue over something or build theory.

Of all the fans he has—and he's big enough to admit that there's quite a few out there—she's the only one he doesn't want to lose and he prays that he doesn't.

When the movie is done and the popcorn and soda has been depleted, Castle has the practically carry her out of the theater, groaning. "Too much to eat," she whines and he laughs, lifting her up into his arms. At eleven years old, she should be too big to hold up like this, but she's like a feather in Castle's arms. He cradles her like a baby and she squirms for a bit until her cheek is pressed to his shoulder and then she allows her body to relax in his arms. Before he's even hailed a taxi, she's asleep and he's careful not to jostle her as he slides in and whispers the address for the twelfth precinct.

The cabbie nods and starts the meter, then pulls out into traffic. For a moment, they ride in silence and then the man catches his eyes in the rearview mirror. "Cute kid you got there," he says. "She looks just like you."

Castle doesn't even try to suppress the grin that spreads on his face at the sentiment. He just nods and smiles back, looking down at the sleeping girl in his arms. "Thanks," he says, simply. "Thanks a lot."

C&B

Kate's staring blankly at her computer screen when the elevator dings and she turns just in time to see Castle stroll in with her preteen daughter in his arms. _Their_ preteen daughter, she corrects herself. Maybe. She'll never be a hundred percent on that until Lanie calls in with the results of the DNA test, but at this point she doesn't even care what the papers say.

There's no denying that Richard Castle is that girl's father. She's gone over every man she'd been with before she had left school for winter break and the only one who's even close to the correct timeline is Rogan O'Leary and they broke up at least a month before her tryst with the airport guy, so it's highly unlikely that it resulted in the birth of her daughter. But, again, without the definitive evidence, there's no way to be completely certain.

And, if she's being totally honest with herself, the thought of Johanna's father actually being Castle...well, it scares her. Not only because it'll mean possible having to share her daughter with another person (because it will be up to the girl to decide whether or not Castle will play that role in her life), but because it means that she once had such a deep connection with this man, whom she didn't even know at the time, that she willingly had sex with him, got pregnant with his child, and decided to keep that child; all before she even turned 20 years old. And, as blurry as that night is now, Kate can't honestly say that it wasn't one of her fondest memories.

And not only because it brought her the love of her life.

"I'm gonna put her down in the break room," Castle informs Kate as he carries said love past. Joey is practically drooling on his shoulder, and emits a tiny snort as they pass, which makes both of them smile affectionately at her. Kate nods and watches through the window as he lays her down on the couch and removes her sneakers, jacket, hat and scarf. Then he covers her with a blanket and—probably absentmindedly—kisses her forehead before standing and walking back out.

Her heart is soft as she watches him return and take his usual seat next to her desk. She doesn't even notice that she's still staring until he's sitting right in front of her, looking back in confusion.

"What?" he asks, snapping her out of whatever daze she's in.

Kate shakes her head and looks back to her screen, where only half of some kind of form is filled out. "Nothing," she lies, but her heart continues to pound ceaselessly. Castle squints his eyes at her for a moment, but then decides to let it go as he pulls out his phone and opens up some game app.

While she fills out paperwork, he plays that game, making noises as he does; groaning in frustration and practically dancing in his seat whenever he beats a level. Kate watches him from the corner of her eye and has to bite her lip to keep the smile at bay.

They both nearly fall out of their seats when the phone rings and Kate reaches for it without thinking, already getting out her pen and a pad to write down whatever address she's about to receive. "Beckett," she answers, all business.

"Kate, it's Lanie," the ME says on the other side. "I've got your results down here if you wanna come check them out."

"Have you opened them yet?" Kate asks, locking eyes with Castle.

"The lab tech just brought them in. I'm not allowed to look at it; not without your express permission. Do I have that?"

Kate bites her lip as she thinks about it, then sighs and shakes her head. "No," she says. "Wait for us; Castle and I will be there in a minute."

"Okay," says Lanie. "I'll see you soon. And Kate?"

"Yeah?"

"If this test is positive, I'd really like to suggest you _finally_ stop dragging your feet and let that boy take you out to dinner already. You're out of excuses."

"We'll see you soon, Lanie," Kate says through her teeth, then hangs up the phone and turns to Castle, praying that her cheeks are not as pink as they feel. "The results are in," she says. Castle nods in understanding and they both turn to Ryan and Esposito, who are working on their own files. "Guys," Kate says, "keep an eye on Jo, alright? We're, uh, making a lunch run."

"Ooh, what're you getting?" Ryan asks, perking up.

"Burgers from Remy's," Castle says. "On me."

"No pickles!" Espo shouts after them.

"Extra onions," Ryan adds and Kate rolls her eyes at Castle as they head toward the elevator. He just snorts.

C&B

In the morgue, Lanie greets them with a manila envelope in her hands. The seal has not yet been broken and she practically throws it in Beckett's face.

"Hurry up and open it," she exclaims.

"Patient much?" Castle snarks, receiving a deadly glare from the Medical Examiner. He frowns and turns to Kate. "Please open it; I'm terrified."

Kate rolls her eyes and tries to keep her hands from shaking as she tears the seal on the envelope, takes a deep breath as she reaches in to pull out the single sheet of paper and closes her eyes for a second, holding them to her chest. When she opens her eyes again, she's looking into Rick's blue ones and is relieved to see that they are filled with as much anxiety as hers are.

"Are you ready for this?" he asks her and she doesn't even have to think about it before she shakes her head no. "Neither am I," he confides and she smiles softly at that, before taking another deep breath and bringing the paper away from her chest.

Both pairs of eyes scan it quickly, both widening as their respective breath gets caught in their lungs.

"Holy crap."

"Oh my god."

They speak in unison and without them even having to say it, Lanie already knows the answer as they turn to share one of those deep, meaningful looks. Still, for her benefit, both Castle and Beckett turn to her and say, in scary unison:

"It's positive."

 **Thank you all, once again, for reading this! As promised, there will be two more chapters and maybe an Epilogue depending on how that goes. Please review and let me know what you think! I love you all so much! *smooches***


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

They walk in silence to Remy's. Or in as much silence as one can experience in Manhattan, anyway. Castle's hands are buried in his pockets and Beckett has her thumbnail in her mouth, gnawing at it and practically making her cuticles bleed. He glances over at her as they walk and then reaches for her wrist, tugging her fingers from her mouth. Her eyes widen and she glares over at him. He just rolls his eyes.

"You keep doing that and it's going to bleed," he tells her. "Then Jo will definitely know something is up." They'd agreed to tell her that night. There's no use in beating around the bush, after all, and it's better to get it out in the open so they can see what the young girl's reaction to the news will be and—even more importantly, in Castle's opinion—whether she wants Castle to be a part of her life in that way. He's certain that Joey wouldn't want him out of it completely, even if she does—on the off chance—become angry at him for some reason. He knows that he'd be angry if his father had chosen to reenter his life out of the blue like that after so many years of absence, even though he's certain that the man knows nothing of his existence.

He'd promised Beckett that he wouldn't pressure the girl; that it would be completely up to her if she wanted to even start calling him 'Dad', which Castle highly doubts. But you never know, right?

"How are we going to tell her," Beckett says, pulling her wrist from his grasp, "that the same man who's been annoying the hell out of me for the better part of the last year—the same man that has been married twice and slept with countless women—is her father?"

"Okay," Castle replies, "first of all; I have not slept with 'countless' women. I'll have you know that I know the exact number of women I have slept with, as well as all their names and phone numbers. And the first digit of that number is prime."

"Is it 7?" Kate snarks.

"No, actually," Castle replies, "it's not. Not that it matters, anyway, because the amount of women I've been with has no effect on my abilities as a father." Kate nods and immediately feels horrible about the bitter thoughts. After all, it's not like she was celibate before—or after—she had Johanna. She shouldn't be one to judge. "And secondly, am I really that bad?"

He sounds hurt and when Kate looks over at him, she can see it etched in his eyes and the furrow of his brow, which sends another wave of guilt surging through her. She shakes her head.

"No," she says. "I just…everything in my life before you came along was…"

"Boring?" he teases, nudging her arm.

Kate rolls her eyes. "Normal," she corrects. "You know, as normal as a single mother-slash-homicide detective's life could be. And you just…upset that. At first."

"And now?" Castle urges.

"You might not be as annoying as I originally thought," she mutters, so low he can just barely make it out, but then he grins at her; that big, goofy annoying grin of his that makes him look like a little boy and a cocky asshole all at once. But it also sends flutters through her stomach and she fights them off with a roll of her eyes. "But I could be wrong," she says, picking up the pace until she's walking ahead of him. He laughs and matches stride, still smiling over at her, and she simultaneously wants to punch and kiss him, but she's terrified at which instinct she's more likely to follow right now, so she continues to stare forward.

At Remy's, she uses her badge to cut the line—which is wrong, but she's hungry and would like to get back to the precinct as soon as she can so as not to seem suspicious—and Joe behind the counter just asks who they're buying for today and sketches down their regular order before disappearing to the back. It's nice, she thinks, to have someplace where the staff knows them well enough to remember their orders down to the details, like no pickles and extra onions. It's something reliable that she's come to enjoy and count on in her life. Sort of like…

She looks over at Castle, who's staring lustily at the claw machine in the corner, like he's fighting so hard to keep from running straight at it with every coin he currently has in his pocket. She rolls her eyes, but can't help but recognize the same look she sees in their daughter's eyes every time they come in here.

 _Their daughter_.

How easy it is to go from _her_ to _their_ in the span of a single morning. Not that she really had that far to go with the amount of time Castle has spent with Joey. Of all the men she's dated in the last decade (and there really haven't been many of them) Castle is the one Jo has taken to best—and they aren't even dating, despite the kid's best efforts.

But what will this mean for their relationship, then? The fact that they now knowingly share a little girl must have some kind of an impact, right? Most parents, married or not, try to make it work between them for the sake of the child, don't they? Is that what Castle and Beckett will do? Is that what he's expecting of her?

Kate opens her mouth to ask, but before the words can even rise in her throat, Joe is returning with two bags and a tray of drinks. "12th Precinct," he says, grinning at her. "Enjoy your lunch, Detective. Mr. Castle," he nods to the writer, who's turned back to thank him.

She grabs the food and he grabs the drinks and she tries to put the thought of starting a romantic relationship with Rick Castle out of her mind. They probably shouldn't discuss something like this in a crowded restaurant anyway. But, perhaps, later?

She can't tell if the flutter in her stomach is caused by dread or excitement at that very thought. And she's not quite certain if she really even wants to know.

C&B

When they arrive back at the precinct, Jo is back to spinning round and round in Beckett's desk chair, the boys on either side of her, egging her on. Kate rolls her eyes at the spectacle as she and Castle exit the elevator and make their way to the detectives' desks, where they lay down the food.

"Lunch!" she calls to them and they immediately abandon her spinning child and practically sprint towards the food, digging through the bags for their appropriately marked burgers. Castle takes a large step back, mindful of the possibility to lose a finger to a pair of ravenous detectives, and makes his way over to Johanna, who's still slowly rotating in the chair, a wide grin on her face. He laughs and holds the arms of the chair, effectively stopping it, then reaches down to pick her up.

Johanna giggles as he throws her over his shoulder and he is reminded of Alexis when she was that young, always giggly and squirmy. He pokes Joey in the side and she emits a tiny squeak, which makes him laugh as he sets her back on her feet next to the food. She gives him that squinty, wrinkled nose look that Alexis used to give him and opens her mouth to say something before she realizes that there's food less than a foot away from her face and she turns to it, practically drooling.

"Remy's!" she exclaims, reaching for the junk food with the same passion that the boys emitted mere moments ago. She trades food between bags until she has both hers and Beckett's orders, then carries them back to her mother's desk, where Kate is already back to filling out paperwork, and hands her mother her burger, fries, and the strawberry shake she favors.

"Thanks, Jojo," Kate says, sweeping her hand through the girl's hair in affection, before they both dig into the food.

Castle gathers up his own meal and perches himself next to the boys' desk to eat, watching Kate and Jo—his _daughter_ —eat out of the corner of his eye. He notices the way she has a bad habit of wiping her mouth on her sleeve (a trait he shares and for which Beckett berates the both of them) and for talking with her mouth full, which makes Beckett wrinkle her nose in disgust. He chuckles internally at that and gains a few strange looks from the boys, but he doesn't really care.

He has another daughter…wow. A girl that is now eleven years old—also the child of a women who consistently threatens to shoot him—is one part him and one part somebody else, and he had no idea for over a decade that she even existed. Not in that capacity, anyway. It's just…baffling. And he prays that he doesn't have any other children he knows nothing about. He doubts it, though. Many of the women he's been with—though he's not proud to admit this—were overtly aware of his status and wealth and there's very little doubt in his mind that they wouldn't try to take advantage of that.

When he finishes with his lunch, he stands and makes his way over to them with the empty bag for garbage. Johanna tidies up her place and tosses her trash in, chirping out a polite thank you and Beckett follows her lead. He smiles and nods at both of them, but makes no move to leave.

"So," he says, smiling down at Joey. "Guess what?"

"What?" she asks, smiling back up at him in excitement.

"I got your mom to agree to dinner at the loft tonight," he replies, proudly. It's true. They decided, together, that it would be best to tell everybody all at once; Johanna, Alexis, and even Martha, if she didn't already have plans out. The best way to do that, they think, is with dinner.

Joey's eyes widen as she turns to her mother with a wide smile. "Really?" she asks.

Kate rolls her eyes at the two of them beaming identically at her. "He caught me in a moment of weakness," she says. "And it's only if we don't catch a case by five," she reminds them both. "So don't get your hopes up too high; this is Manhattan and murder happens every single day in this city." Joey rolls her eyes and turns back to Castle.

"So what are you making?" she asks him.

"Italian," Castle tells her and she practically salivates on the spot, like she didn't just wolf down a burger, fries, and a chocolate shake. "I was thinking Chicken Parmesan with angel hair pasta on the side; you agree?"

"Can we have the bowties instead?" Jo asks. "I like those better."

Castle nods. "Bowties it is," he says. "I just have to make a quick run to the market before I go home. Speaking of which…I should probably leave now and get a head start on that; I don't want to keep you guys waiting too long for your dinner after a long day at work."

"Can I come?" Johanna asks, surprising both of her parents. Castle and Beckett share and look and the girl gazes between them. "Please?" she says. "It's gonna be so _boring_ here without Castle!"

"Gee," Ryan says, turning in his chair to look at her. "Thanks, princess."

Jo rolls her eyes. "You two have work to do anyway," she says. "And paperwork _is_ boring." She turns her pleading blue eyes on her mother. "Please, Mom?" She sticks out her bottom lip and Kate narrows her eyes. This kid does not play fair.

"Fine," she sighs, after a moment of that look. "But you be good, alright? _Both_ of you."

"Always," Johanna scoffs, standing up and making her way into the break room to retrieve her things. She's still barefoot from her earlier nap. It takes her only a few minutes to dress herself and then she's kissing Kate on the cheek and grabbing Castle's hand to pull him out of the bullpen. He smiles at Kate over his shoulder and gives her a little wave.

She waves back and this time it's her heart that flutters. God, this is getting very complicated…

C&B

"Needs more basil," Joey decides after Castle gives her another taste from his spoon. He takes some for himself and then nods in agreement.

"Good catch," he says, reaching for the correct spice and shaking it over the pot of boiling sauce. "What's next?"

Johanna climbs onto the stool situated in front of the stove and lifts the lid for the bot of water, grinning triumphantly. "It's boiling!" she announces and the man nods, handing her the already opened box of bowtie pasta. She pours it in, then reaches for the other, dumping it in as well. They'll have plenty for dinner and then leftovers for the Beckett girls to bring home, afterwards. She replaces the lid and clambers back down, removing the stool and allowing Castle to place the already prepared chicken into the oven. She grabs the cookie-shaped timer and twists it to the five-minute mark, then takes a seat at the island and reaches for her water.

"Cooking is _exhausting_ ," she sighs, taking a long sip.

Castle smiles down at her. "Maybe that's why your mother doesn't like to do it very often," he says.

"She does!" Johanna argues. "But she doesn't always have the time; 'specially when she's on call, because then she never knows if she'll have to turn everything off and waste food. But she's a great cook, really!"

"I believe you," he says as he stirs the sauce in the pot.

They're silent for a moment; only the sound of the bubbling pots and the faint tick-tick-tick of the timer echoing through the empty loft.

"Castle," Joey says, suddenly.

"Yeah, munchkin?" he replies, smiling over at her.

She tilts her head in thought, her braid falling over her shoulder at the movement. "Does Alexis ever cook with you?" she asks.

"All the time," Castle replies, nodding. "We usually chop vegetables together and she keeps me from cutting off my fingers."

Joey giggles at that, but then she gets quiet. "Did you ever cook with your dad?" she asks and he stops stirring. He's never told her about the faceless man his mother had spent a single night with forty years ago; never really saw the point until now.

He shakes his head. "I never knew my father," he says. "My mother only knew him briefly and then…he was gone."

"You mean like he just vanished?" she asks with wide eyes and he wonders why he didn't know she was his daughter sooner.

"Sort of," he says. "What do you know about _your_ father?" Kate had already told him that she had the 'dad talk' with Joey when she was four and could comprehend the meaning of Father's Day.

"Just that Mom met him a long time ago, they had sex, and then they never saw each other again," she says, as casually as if she were talking about the weather.

Castle splutters. "Your mother already had _that_ talk with you?" he practically chokes.

Joey rolls her eyes at him. "Duh," she's says. "I'm eleven, Castle; I'm not exactly a baby anymore."

 _Yes you are,_ he thinks stubbornly. _You're my baby and you should_ not _know where babies come from yet. Unless that answer is the stork._

He tries to keep his cool, though, as the time goes off and he takes the chicken out of the oven and places the pan on the counter. "Come here and taste this sauce," he says. "Tell me if it's ready yet." Johanna nods and takes a sip from the spoon, then beams up at him.

"That tastes great!" she exclaims. "It's definitely ready!"

"You think so?" Castle chuckles and she nods. "Okay, then," he says, grabbing the ladle. "Get the grated mozzarella from the fridge for me." She does as told and soon they have a pan full of all the ingredients they need to make a wonderful meal.

Castle places the pan back into the oven while Joey sets the timer for ten more minutes and then they return to the bowtie pasta. Castle pulls out a piece and chews it, thoughtfully, then hands her one. She smiles when she finds it ready and he drains it in the sink.

By the time everything is done, the door is opening and Alexis walks through, smiling when she finds Joey Beckett running towards her, wearing her childhood apron over a t-shirt and jeans. She catches the younger girl in a hug in the foyer.

"Hey, Jo!" she greets. "How are you? Where's your mom?"

"At work," Castle answers for the girl, "but Beckett should be done in a couple of minutes. She'll be home soon enough." Alexis tilts her head at his choice of words and they share a look, a blush blooming up on Castle's cheeks. "So," he says, before she can mention it or tease him, "how was your study group?"

"Much like my group projects," Alexis sighs, "I got stuck doing all the work. Four chapter outlines and nobody could even bother to lift a pencil."

"Sounds rough," Castle sighs, putting down the bowl of pasta to embrace his older girl, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Luckily, Jojo and I made a meal that will knock your socks off! Right, munchkin?" he asks.

"Right!" the girl agrees. They high-five and Alexis laughs, shaking her head.

"Smells great," she says. "I'm just gonna go put my stuff down and change out of my uniform, okay?" Castle nods and the redhead races for the steps.

When she's gone, Johanna turns to Castle. "She's lucky," she says.

"Why?" Castle asks, returning to pour the sauce over the pasta, mixing it all together.

"Because she knows who her dad is," Joey says, softly, watching the seconds on the timer tick by. Castle looks down at her and is about to say something when there's a knock at the door. He sighs.

"I'm guessing that's your mother," he says.

"I'll get it!" Joey exclaims, suddenly brightening. She runs to the door and practically throws it open, already launching herself into her mother's arms before the woman can even greet her.

"You're early," Castle comments, looking at the clock on the wall. It's just past five PM; he was expecting her at half past, given the traffic.

"Montgomery let me go early," Kate tells him, "since things were slow. I'm still on call, though."

"I expected nothing less," Castle says. "Come on, you and Jo can set the table while I get everything ready."

Kate nods and helps him take down the plates, ignoring the domesticity of their actions as she focuses on the task at hand.


	5. Chapter 5

**We're getting close to the finish. Slight reminder that I have never had to tell an eleven-year-old that I found out her long lost father is her mother's "work partner" so forgive me if this seems unrealistic.**

Chapter Five

"Castle, that was delicious," Kate comments as she puts down her fork. She can't remember ever having chicken parmesan that good before; she doubts if she has, actually.

"Ahem," he daughter coughs, glaring up at her. Kate chuckles.

"And Johanna, of course," she adds. "Well done, little chef."

Jo beams proudly and Kate is struck again by the similarities she can see between the girl and the man sitting across from her. _How had she not seen it before? What kind of detective-?_

"Beckett?" Castle's voice breaks her from her thoughts and she looks over at him. His eyes are wide and slightly inquisitive. At first, she thinks he's going to ask her what she's thinking about and her cheeks warm at the thought, but then his eyes flit to Joey, who's having an animated conversation with Alexis about…something or other that she hasn't really been listening to and Kate nods in understanding, her gut clenching.

"Hey, Jo," she says, softly, interrupting the girl in the middle of a long-winded monologue, which stops immediately at the sound of her name.

"Yeah, Mom?" Joey asks, turning to look up at Beckett with those big blue Castle eyes of hers.

Kate smiles and reaches out to stroke her hair, giving herself a moment to stall and breathe as she does so. "There's something I— _we_ ," she shares a look and a nod with Castle, "have to tell you. And Alexis." She smiles over at the redhead, who's seated next to her father.

"You and Castle are finally going on a date?" Joey blurts in excitement, a wide smile on her face. Castle sputters and Beckett blushes as Alexis covers her mouth with her hand.

"No!" she says, quickly, looking embarrassedly at the two Castles. She clears her throat. "No, baby, but, um…close? I guess…" Joey tilts her head to the side in that confused, puppy dog way that Castle always does and good lord, she should just turn in her badge right now for being so oblivious. "It…it has something to do with that, um, thing that we talked about; when you asked me about your real father?" Johanna furrows her brows in a perfect imitation of her mother, but says nothing. "Well, um," Beckett says, continuing, "I know I told you before that I had no idea who he was, but, uh…well, I just figured it out and I—"

"You know who my father is?" Joey gasps. "Who is he?" The young girls leans in towards her mother, eyes big and blue and curious and hopeful. Kate glances at Castle, who watches with some apprehension in his eyes. Her gaze is too slow returning, however, and Johanna turns her attentions to the writer, confused. "Do _you_ know who he is?" she asks him. "Is that what this is all about? Is he a friend of yours?"

"Uh…" Castle says, looking to Beckett, who just nods in encouragement. He takes a deep breath and turns to Alexis. "Pumpkin," he says, "do you remember when you were four and you were supposed to spend the holidays with your mother?"

"Uh…yeah?" Alexis replies, her gaze shifting over everybody at the table. "But then Mom got some part in a movie and you had to come get me. What about it?"

"Well," Castle says, "I couldn't get a direct flight last minute—especially not during the holidays—so I had to make a connection in Nevada; Las Vegas, to be more specific."

"Okay…" Alexis says. "So?"

"So, while I was there I was kind of…miserable. I…I missed you terribly, and the divorce was still so new, and I had to be seated in coach and…well, things were just not going great, so I decided to get myself a drink at the airport bar. Only, I didn't just stop at one."

Alexis lets out a sigh and shakes her head. "Dad…" she says, mournfully.

"I know, I know," he says, but I stopped drinking hours before my flight was supposed to leave, so I'd be okay to pick you up. Anyway, I was seated at the bar, ordering drink after drink and it was pretty late, so I was alone. Until…"

"I walked in," Kate finishes softly for him. Both Alexis and Johanna gaped at her, wide-eyed.

"You two have met before?" Alexis asked. Castle and Beckett both nod, neither looking at the other. Kate's eyes were solely trained on Johanna as she processed this new information. She could practically hear the cogs and bolts in her mind clicking together as they pieced together this puzzle.

"You met in Las Vegas," the girl says, softly, "at an airport bar…twelve years ago…"

"Just about," Kate confirms with a sigh.

Johanna glances up at her, then turns her wide gaze on Castle, her eyes scanning him from left to right, as if seeing him for the very first time. "That means… _you're_ my father?" she asks, squinting her eyes. Alexis's eyes widen and she turns to look at Castle, just as he nods his head very slowly.

"Yes," he says, looking between the two girls. "I am."

Johanna is quiet, just staring at him with disbelief etched in her eyes, her mouth gaping slightly. Alexis does the same, but her eyes flit between Castle, Beckett, and Johanna, her little sister. She shakes her head. "I can't believe this," she sighs. "Talk about serendipity."

That seems to break the tension in the room slightly as Castle and Beckett both give the teen cautious smiles. Castle places his arm around her shoulder and kisses her forehead, then looks back to Joey, who still hasn't stopped giving him that look. He shares a look of concern with Beckett and the woman nods, turning to her eleven-year-old daughter.

"Jo?" she asks, causing the girl to blink and turn to her. "Are you okay? Do you need to lie down or something? I know this is a lot to take in."

Joey shakes her head, then turns away and stands from her chair, walking around the table to where Castle sits. Both of her parents' gazes follow her the whole way. Castle turns his body from Alexis to Johanna as she stands in front on him, almost eye-to-eye with him now that he's sitting down. He offers her a warm smile, but she doesn't smile back.

"You're my dad," she states, simply. He nods. "You and my mom had sex twelve years ago and you made me." He blushes and nods this time. He can hear Alexis snicker behind him. "You haven't been in my life at all since I was born." This time it's slight accusatory and slightly hurt.

"Had I known about you," Castle says, "I would have. Believe me; I would have loved nothing more than being an active part of your life, munchkin."

Joey nods. "I believe you," she says, with a resolute nod, "but what happens now?"

"What do you mean?" Castle asks, even though he knows exactly what she means. He doesn't really want to assume or make any decisions for her.

"Are you going to be my dad?" the girl asks. "Like, for real? Do I have to call you dad and spend the night here sometimes? Do you want me to change my last name to Castle?"

Castle shakes his head. "I don't want you to do anything that you don't want to do," he tells her. "It's all up to you, okay? Whether or not you call me dad is…completely your call. I just…we felt you deserved to know and, really, all I want is to be a part of your life."

"Me too," Alexis pipes up, leaning around him to smile down at Jo. "I've always wanted a baby brother. I guess you'll do."

Johanna wrinkles her nose and sticks out her tongue; Alexis mirrors it and both Kate and Castle laugh, sharing a look—which does not go unnoticed by Joey. She smirks and throws herself into his arms, surprising the man before he actively wraps his arms around her, pulling her into his lap.

He holds her for a little while until he begins to wriggle in his arms, but he just holds tighter. "Agh!" Joey groans. "Lemme goooo!"

"Nuh uh," Castle replies, laughing. "I have eleven years of hugs to make up for and we haven't even gotten past the first day." Joey rolls her eyes and looks over at her mother, who is just smiling at all of them and shaking her head.

"Hey," Jo says, suddenly, "so does this mean you're gonna ask my mom out finally?"

Castle sputters and Kate buries her red face in her hands as Alexis laughs out loud. Joey joins in, her high-pitched giggles mingling with her sister's raucous laughter. Kate peeks through her fingers and locks eyes with him as he partially hides behind his daughters, but neither can hide the glimmer of want in their eye, let alone the happy smiles that cover both faces.

It's nearly ten PM when Beckett declares it time to leave. She and Jo had stayed to watch a movie and spend some 'quality family time' with the girl's newfound sister and father. Kate had tried to duck out, her reasoning being that she wasn't exactly a Castle, but Jo pulled her back.

"You're my mother," she said, "so you're still family." There was an underlying tone of 'duh' laced in her daughter's tone that she didn't even try to hide. And Kate didn't fight it; she knew that it would be no use, anyway. Besides, she would just have to return in a couple of hours to pick the girl up, anyway, so why not stay? Johanna had curled into her body, with Alexis on the other side of her and Castle acting as the redhead's human pillow, as they settled in for _Legally Blonde_ , which was a favorite of everybody there—even Castle.

"This movie is storytelling gold," he said, at Beckett incredulous raised eyebrow. "Elle Woods is one of the deepest and most well-thought-out characters in cinema history."

"You're very passionate about this," she commented, wryly.

"Do _not_ get him started on the social commentary in this film," Alexis warned her. "He'll argue for hours about how much of a feminist icon Elle Woods is and how there hasn't been any like her since the movie came out and blah, blah, blah…" Castle poked Alexis in the side for that and the girl shrieked, snorting.

"It's a pretty great movie," Kate had agreed. "And Elle Woods is totally a feminist icon. Also, her shoes are amazing."

Castle had laughed at that as he started the movie.

At some point, Johanna and Alexis had conked out, leaving only Rick and Kate to enjoy the film as Elle busted Chutney Wyndham for her perm-related false alibi. They watched quietly, but sneaked glances at each other all throughout, both of them thinking about what Joey had said earlier, about the possibility of them dating. Whether it was a good idea or not, neither could really say, now that they knew there was so much more on the line than just them.

Kate had always known, before entering any relationship, she would have to think of not only her own heart, but of her daughter's as well. Now, her daughter's heart could be considered much more important as the thought of things not working out between her and Castle might make things tense for Jo as well. Though, if Kate were being honest with herself, that was always a risk with those two, father or not.

Halfway through the movie, after Johanna had already started to doze against Beckett's chest, Castle had stretched out his arms, immediately catching Kate's attention as the muscles in his biceps rippled beneath the simple button up he wore, rolled up to his elbows. When his hands came back down, one landed over the back of the couch, fingers flat against the fabric, as if reaching out for her.

Kate had stared at those fingers, long and thick and calloused, for at least twenty minutes, her eyes glancing back to the movie every now and then, until she cautiously lifted her own arm, stopping only when Jo began to stir from the movement. She ran her fingers gently over the braid, which was beginning to fall apart, and pressed a kiss to the girl's crown, before she mirrored Castle's position, her hand reaching for his until their fingers brushed.

His face showed no reaction to the touch, whatsoever, but she felt his thumb sweep over her knuckles as he tentatively stroked her hand. Kate could only hope that she was as good at hiding her blush as she thought.

When the credits finally rolled, their fingers were interlocked, still and comfortable behind their daughter's heads. Kate chanced a glance over at Castle and found him staring at her. The intensity of his gaze made her cheeks tinge pink and she looked away, pulling her hand back to shake her daughter's shoulder, even as her fingers tingled with the loss.

"Jo," she whispers in the girl's ear. "Jojo, it's time to get up, babe."

"Five more minutes, Mom," Johanna groans and Kate smirks, pressing a kiss to her daughter's hairline.

"It's not time for school, silly," she says, affectionately. "Time to head home and go to bed."

Joey peeks one eye open. "Do I have to?" she moans. "Can't I just stay at Dad's tonight?" Kate's eyes widen at that and she looks over at Castle, who's beaming at the choice of name, as well as the request. She smiles softly, but sadly and shakes her head.

"Not tonight, bub," she says. "All of your clothes are at home and you have school tomorrow. Maybe you can stay this weekend?" She looks over at Castle, who nods enthusiastically, and she smiles down at her—their daughter. "That sound good?" she asks.

Johanna shrugs as she sits up, stretching out her limbs. "I guess so," she says. Alexis stirs next to her and before either Castle or Beckett know it, all four of them are standing in the foyer. The two girls hug tightly, promising to see one another again, and then Joey falls directly into Castle's outstretched arms, allowing him to squeeze her tightly.

"I love you, munchkin," he murmurs into her hair.

"I love you two, Cas—Dad," she replies, pulling away with a sheepish grin. "It's gonna take some time to get used to that, I guess," she says.

"Take all the time you need," he tells her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Be good for your mother."

"Always," the girl scoffs, rolling her eyes and he shakes his head, looking up at Beckett.

"I swear you must have cloned her," he says. "She is _exactly like you_."

"Barely," Kate denies. "She's more like you than anything. Wait until you hear about her upcoming science project."

"Can't wait," he says, his eyes crinkling as he smiles down at her, eyes shining with…something she can't really name. She's sure the same is reflected in her eyes, though. Then something changes in his face and he glances at their daughters, then back up to her. "Actually," he says, "do you mind if we talk out in the hall real quick?"

Kate's heart thumps in her chest and her throat goes dry. She nods. "Sure," she says, then looks down at Jo. "I'll be right back, babe," she says. The girl nods and the two adults shuffle out the door.

Once in the hallway, they just stand there for a long moment before both of them speak. Simultaneously.

"So what did you want to—"

"I was just thinking—"

They stop, laugh, and blush, avoiding eye contact for a moment. Kate clears her throat.

"So," she says, "what did you—"

"Would you like to go to dinner?" Castle blurts and both pairs of eyes widen. This time it's Castle who clears his throat.

"Are you…you're asking me out on a date?" Kate asks, butterflies in her stomach. Castle nods, eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights. She bites her lip and looks down, feeling her fingers begin to tingle again. "Castle, I don't know if that's such a good—"

His hands cupping her cheek stop the words dead in her throat, and the look in his eyes barely gives her any warning as his mouth descends on hers, locking theirs lips together in a frenzy of passion. Kate can't suppress the moan that spills from her lips, nor can she stop her hands from raising to bury themselves in his hair, her body pressing against his. His answering groan vibrates against her lips and she clutches him tighter, revels in the thick-muscled arms that wrap around her waist.

When they pull back, both are panting, their faces flushed and eyes locked, hands still clutching each other. Kate nods, slowly. "Okay," she gasps. "Okay."

"Okay what?" Castle asks, his mind blissfully blank after the kiss they just shared. All it takes from Kate is the lift of one skillfully sculpted brow and the cotton in his mind dissipates. "Oh," he says, a lazy grin spreading his lips. "Great. Is…is tomorrow night too soon?"

"It's fine," Kate says, "so long as I'm not on call and your mother can babysit Jo."

"Oh god," Castle groans. "Mother." He presses his face into her neck as he remembers that they didn't even tell Martha—who'd called ahead to let them know not to wait up for her. Kate chuckles and presses a kiss to his rough cheek. She feels his answering smile against her skin.

When he pulls back, she's beaming at him, happiness glinting in her eyes. The knowledge that they'll have to talk in depth about custody and what their new romantic relationship will mean for this strange little 'family' they have now at the back of her mind. It will have to come forward at some point, but right now, all she cares about is the man whose arms she's in; the father of her daughter.

When they finally pull away from each other—with a single, parting kiss—Castle turns to open the door, surprised to find Alexis handing Joey money.

"8…9…10," Alexis finishes counting just as they walk in. She turns to Beckett and shakes her head. "I never thought he'd break you that quickly," she says. Kate rolls her eyes.

"Your father is a pretty persuasive guy," she says, then leans in to stage-whisper, "or, you know, annoying."

"Hey!" Castle practically whines. Kate snorts and grabs her daughter's hand.

"Come on, Jojo," she says to the yawning girl, "let's get you home before you fall asleep on the subway. I am so not strong enough to carry you anymore."

"Okay," Joey sighs. "Bye, Alexis. Bye, Dad," she says, earning a kiss on the forehead from Castle. The man then presses a peck to Kate's lips as she's leaving, which is a surprise, though not unwanted.

"Night, Castles," she says as she tugs Jo down the hall.

"So," Joey asks when they're in the elevator, "what made you finally say yes? Was it something he said?"

"More like what he _didn't_ say," Kate replies with a smirk.

Johanna wrinkles her nose. "Ew! Mo-om! Gross!"

Kate just laughs as she pulls her daughter against her side in a warm hug.

 **REVIEWS!**


	6. Epilogue

**This is the end. There may be stand alones after this but this epilogue is the last chapter for this story. I don't think I could give this the attention it deserves if I try to keep it going, I'm sorry. Enjoy this fluffy epilogue though.**

Epilogue

"Johanna!"

The teen turns and flashes a brilliant, brace-stapled smile at her father as he walks through down the aisle towards her, very handsome in his black tuxedo with a white flower in his pocket. She runs towards him, her lavender dress fluttering in the summer breeze, her bare feet tickled by the grass.

He catches her in his arms and grunts as he spins with her while she just giggles.

"You're getting so big, munchkin," he says, placing her back on the ground. Kate had been right about the growth spurt, after all. Joey had grown nearly six inches in the last few months and it had gotten to the point where they needed to buy her new clothes every few weeks because she kept outgrowing them. Not that _she_ was complaining.

"Are you really that surprised?" she laughs. "You and Mom are, like, _giants_!"

"Speaking of your mother," he says, glaring at her for the comment, "is she almost ready?"

Johanna nods. "I think so," she replies. "Alexis and Gram are helping her into her dress."

"And what mischief have _you_ been getting yourself into?" he asks, raising one eyebrow at his youngest child (but not for long, he muses to himself).

"No mischief," Jo says, rolling her eyes. "I was just walking down on the beach, picking up sea shells and," she furrows her brow in that way that Kate always does, "thinking," she decides after a moment.

"That's never good," Castle teases gently. "About what?"

Jo's shoulders raise in a shrug and she frowns. "Stuff," she says.

Castle sighs. His daughter had embraced teenager-hood wholeheartedly. First, with mood swings and eyes that rolled so hard that he feared they might fall out of her head, and then with snarky talkbacks that made him wish he hadn't missed the first decade of her life; that he'd been able to enjoy the excitable, fun-loving little girl he saw in so many pictures the last three years. And he can't even believe it's been three years since he found out he was her father. It feels like it was just yesterday.

"What kind of stuff?" he asks her. "Is everything alright, munchkin? Do you feel okay?"

"I feel fine, Dad," she groans, rolling her eyes again and Castle sighs. He knew that Joey turning out exactly like Alexis would be too much to hope for—especially given what Jim Beckett has told him about Kate's "Wild Child" days. He just gives her a look and waits patiently for her to open up. And she does.

"I was just thinking…about the first time we met," she says. "Do you remember?"

Castle smiles and nods. Oh boy, does he remember…

 _The knock at the door had both Castles turning from the mirror in his office and before they could even step out, his mother's voice rang through the loft._

" _Oh, you look marvelous!" Martha exclaimed. As he entered the living room, Castle felt his heart thunder in his chest at the mere sight of the detective, wearing the dress he'd sent for her and holding the hand of a precious little cherub of a girl. Joey had been taking in everything with big blue eyes, a crooked grin on her face that showed two missing teeth—one of which left a huge gap at the forefront of her smile._

" _Mom, you were right," she was saying as Castle and Alexis stepped into the room; "it_ is _like the bat cave!"_

 _Castle's chuckle startled the young girl and she turned forward, looking right up at him. Her face broke out into an even bigger grin as he stopped a couple of feet away from her and kneeled down._

" _Good evening," he greeted. "Are you my date for this evening?"_

 _She'd giggled and shook her head._

" _Wrong Beckett," Kate said, wryly, and he'd grinned up at her._

" _My apologies," he said. "But it is very nice to meet you, Miss Beckett," he said, turning back to the girl._

" _Call me Joey," she said. "Or Jo. Or Jojo, but only sometimes."_

" _Nice to meet you, munchkin," he said, warmly, holding out his hand to shake hers. He was surprised by how tiny her hand was, despite the fact that Beckett told him she'd be eleven the following September. "I'm Rick Castle."_

" _Munchkin?" she asked. "I'm not a donut hole, Mr. Castle."_

" _No, but you are the miniature version of your mother," he said, "and a small part of her; hence the 'munchkin' Beckett."_

 _Joey had rolled her eyes at him in a perfect imitation of her mother, but she seemed to accept the nickname. Castle stood back up and smiled at Kate. "You look lovely, by the way," he said. "That dress really suits you."_

" _Of course you'd think that," Kate snorted, but he could see the faint blush on her cheeks. One glance down at the young girl and he knew she'd seen it too, by the tiny glimmer in her big blue eyes. And he had the slightest sense that his life had just changed dramatically._

 _And he didn't know why._

Until now. Castle smiles down at his daughter and runs his hands through her hair—which she'd recently cut short because she wanted a "change"—and displaces the white flower in it slightly. She glares at him and he hastens to fix it, settling it right above her ear.

"What about that night, honey?" he asks. "What about the night we met?"

Jo shrugs again. "I dunno," she says. "I just…I had a feeling that…well, that we'd get _here_ eventually. But I thought it was stupid at the time considering how much Mom used to hate you."

"Oh, your mother never seriously hated me," Castle laughs. "That was just an act to hide how deeply infatuated she was with my rugged good looks." He wiggles his eyebrows at her and the girl laughs.

"Whatever you say, Dad," she snorts, shaking her head. "But, really," she says, her face becoming serious, "I'm glad we made it here; I'm glad I was right."

"You always have to be right," Castle comments, and Joey punches him in the arm. "Ouch!" he yelps, rubbing at the place her fist touched. "And violent—just like your mother."

"Not violent," Joey says. "Just tough."

"My little warrior," he coos, reaching out to pinch her cheek, but Joey slaps his hands away, giggling all the while. He laughs too. "Okay," he says, "now go find your warrior mother and send my Best Man down here so we can get this show on the road, huh?"

Joey nods and wraps her arms around him in a quick hug. "I love you, Dad," she says, pressing a kiss to his cheek before she lets go and runs in the opposite direction, back towards the house.

"Love you too, munchkin!" he calls out after her, smiling fondly as he watches her run through the grass.

" _This is your house?" Joey gasps as Castle pulls her out of the car. "This is like Tony Stark's mansion!"_

" _Nah, I don't think we're_ that _rich," he laughs, "but we're doing pretty okay for ourselves, right pumpkin?" He turns to Alexis, who nods._

" _Maybe better than okay," she says with a shrug and a grin. "Come on, Jo," she says, "let me show you to your bedroom. Grab your bags!"_

" _Don't you dare," Castle huffs. "I'll get them. You two just head on up." Joey looks to Alexis for guidance and the older girl just shrugs, taking her hand to tug her towards the house. Meanwhile, Castle turns to find Beckett already pulling out suitcases and he sighs. "What did I just say?" he asks her, stepping up to tug a duffel bag from her hand._

" _You don't have to treat us like princesses, Castle," Kate sighs. "We can carry our own bags."_

" _I don't_ have _to," Castle acquiesces, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend's hips, "but I_ want _to." He presses a kiss to her neck and Kate chuckles, shaking her head._

" _Well_ I _want you not to throw your back out today," Kate says, leaning back to whisper in his ear, "because_ I _have plans for you."_

 _Castle growls and she giggles, pressing her lips against his cheek._

" _Get a room!"_

 _They both look up to see Alexis and Kate staring down at them from one of the front windows, both of them wrinkling their noses. Joey sticks out her tongue and Kate returns the gesture. Castle just laughs._

"You ready, bro?" Esposito asks as he, Ryan, and Alexis approach, jarring him from his thoughts.

He smiles and nods. "You have no idea," he sighs. The boys both pat him on the back and he thinks about how grateful he is to have both of them in his eyes—and how much more grateful he is that they both haven't murdered him yet.

" _What do you mean, Castle's her father?" Esposito practically growls at Kate, his eyes finding the writer through the break room blinds. He cowers at the mere sight of that glare. The only thing that softens it is Ryan's puppy dog look of confusion as his eyes flit between Castle and Beckett._

" _You mean," he says, "I was right?"_

"You _were right?" Espo practically yells, making the shorter man wince. "About what? You knew Castle was Joey's father and you didn't say anything?"_

 _Ryan shook his head. "No, I was just…I just made an observation. I didn't think he could seriously be…" he turns to Beckett. "Where did you two meet, anyway? I mean…before."_

" _Las Vegas airport," Kate sighs. "He didn't know who I was and I didn't really know who he was, either, so before you get all butthurt, Esposito, it's not like we exchanged numbers and he just ignored all my calls; he just never knew about her. It's nobody's fault. Or both of our fault for getting drunk and making bad decisions."_

" _But you don't regret it, right?" Ryan asks._

 _Kate shakes her head. "Not one bit."_

They've invited a small group of people. After Kate's shooting, she doesn't really like big crowds and he could do without the press shouting questions during their vows, so it works out well for both of them. Close friends and family are all that he sees now, each side only about four rows deep and five seats wide. Agent Jordan Shaw is probably the furthest relation they have here and her daughter and husband are here with her. She shares a smile with him as his eyes scan the crowd.

Back when a crazed stalker had been killing people based off the character in his books, Agent Shaw had arrived with all her shiny toys and gadgets and Castle is not too proud to admit that he was enraptured by them. Just touching that SMART board of hers made him feel like James Bond. But Kate had been visibly jealous and both he and Joey found it hilarious.

Until her apartment blew up with her in it.

It was after they thought the real murderer had killed himself and, thankfully, Joey had opted to stay with him for the night, but Kate had decided that she could use some time to herself to relax. Both her boyfriend and daughter had understood and each had kissed her goodnight at the precinct before returning to the loft.

Castle doesn't know what he would do, though, if Joey had been in that apartment or if Kate had not jumped into that tub on time. He'd gone only the previous night to stay with them, for "protection", but he knew that he was no defense against a bomb like that. They'd rummaged for everything they could find in the remains, then Kate had come to stay at his place. It was supposed to be temporary—just until she found a permanent place big enough for her and Joey—but they'd gotten comfortable in the loft, to his delight, and ended up staying forever.

Jordan seems to have chosen his side, which is great because it seems to be lacking, guest-wise.

On Kate's side is her Aunt Theresa, who had been the first to spill the beans about their engagement on Facebook, and Cousin Sophia with her boyfriend. Then there were some old high school friends, like Maddie, who'd been involved in a crime somewhere around the beginning of their relationship and who Castle had gone on a friendly 'date' with, which served to make his girlfriend jealous—again.

Captain Gates, Montgomery's replacement after his untimely death, had opted for Kate's side as well. Her two children, both boys, are there and her husband, a friendly, affectionate man—which surprised the hell out of Castle, by the way—has his arms around her shoulder as they both wait for the ceremony to start. There's also Kate's therapists, Roger and Dr. Burke—physical and psychological, respectively—who've both made it to the wedding and a bunch of fellow cops (who've most likely placed bets on the wedding as they had on their relationship).

On his side are fewer people; his poker buddies; Kyra Blaine and her husband, and their two-year-old daughter, who wriggles in her father's arms in a fit; a few "family members" from Coney Island, friends of his late grandparents who once worked there as psychics, all excited to see little Ricky get married for, hopefully, the final time; and a man he doesn't recognize. He looks a bit familiar, though, with a gray beard and hair, his suit and face too average to really be remarkable. He wonders if it's some long-lost family member of his mother's or an acting friend. Maybe her date? Martha, however, is in the front and doesn't seem to be paying the mysterious man any attention at all.

He can't really find it in himself to care when he hears the music begin to play and looks up to see Johanna come walking down the aisle, feet still bare but practically unnoticeable by the length of her bridesmaid's dress. She beams at her father and he beams right back, their smiles matching. Behind her is Lanie, who clutches Espo's arm. Jenny and Ryan are close behind them and the music fades out as they get closer, until Johanna is standing opposite him, with Lanie and Jenny behind her, and the boys are on the other side of Alexis, his Best Man, who reaches out to squeeze her father's shoulder. Castle pats her hand and gives her a small smile, before turning back to look up the aisle, just as "Wedding March" begins and his heart swells with more love than he could ever imagine when he sees her and Jim turn the corner.

She's clutching her father's arm for dear life, but the smile on her face is the biggest he's ever seen. It stretches across her entire face and light shines from her eyes as she and Jim step slowly towards him, flashes of light from guests' cameras illuminating their way as the sun begins to set behind him. Kate's smile only grows and Castle can only image the look of pure love and adoration that must be shining from his eyes as well.

She's a vision in white; dressed in a wedding gown passed down from her late mother, which only needed a few alterations here and there before it fit like a glove, accentuating all the curves it needs to and puffing out at the skirt, making her look like a princess—or an angel, he thinks. Her hair is held back and curled and she looks just…wow.

He lets himself glance away for only a second, just to look at his daughter, who has tears shining in her eyes as she watches her mother walk down the aisle, a smile just as wide on her features, and all he can think about is how far they've come. From threatening to shoot him almost on a daily basis…to this.

They still have their spats, sure—what couple doesn't?—but they'll always come out of it in the end. She knew that he was it for her when he stayed by her side for every second of her recovery (knew before that, even, but his dedication to her in that time had reinforced that) and he knew that she was it for him when she let him be. They knew this was going to last when they stayed together through the toughest of times.

A few times during their relationship, Castle had worried that the only reason they were even together was for the sake of the young girl they'd unknowingly made together—and he knows that Beckett has felt the same, more than once—but he's come to realize that that's not the case.

Everything they've ever done, every choice they've ever made, every terrible, wonderful thing that's ever happened to them…it's all led them to right here, in this moment. Together.

And, as his fiancée—future wife; love of his life—finally makes it to where he's standing, at the end of the aisle, and her father passes her off to him with a kiss to her cheek, Castle can't help but be grateful for all of it. Because, no matter how hard things got, he's exactly where he wants to be.

Always.

 **Thank you so much for following along with this story! As said above, there may be more one shots and ficlets that take place in this universe in the future, but this is where this particular part of the story ends. Thanks, guys!**


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